An Informal Apprenticeship
by Face of Poe
Summary: Set during NJO; Kyp asks Jaina to be his apprentice and to help him deal with a super weapon at Sernpidal. While awaiting the fight, their relationship evolves into something more- and possibly manipulative. First in six-part series.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** New story- yay! Just some quick notes…

This will be the first in a series of three stories, the first two of which are already completed (if you're joining me now from the Jedi Council Forum boards, number two is _Betrayal, Forgiveness, Redemption_). This story is 6 parts long, and once it is up, the 2nd installment (11 parts) will immediately follow. I just started writing the 3rd installment, so can't say yet on a timeline for it.

**Setting**: During New Jedi Order, AU. This is an exploration of the ambiguous relationship hinted between Jaina and Kyp after Luke sends her to track him down and he asks for her help at Sernpidal. It's really the end of this and the subsequent story that are REALLY AU, this is more of a missing possibility fic that is very much written and designed to set up the second part.

**Summary**: During the two-ish months that it takes for a plan of action to be instated by Wedge and Kre'fey regarding the 'super weapon' Kyp's squadron uncovered in the ruins of Sernpidal, Kyp asks Jaina to apprentice herself to him. She agrees, with some reservations, and finds herself a little more over her head than she'd first anticipated…

**Rating**: M- for suggestive and sexual content (really, only part IV is a definitive M, but yeah… better safe than sorry).

**Disclaimer**: I am, of course, only playing with the toys of Lucasfilms and the authors of the NJO series.

**An Informal Apprenticeship **

**Part I**

She felt his dark eyes watching her the second she popped the canopy and leapt from her XJ X-wing. Unsure of what he was going for here, she thought it seemed best to simply ignore his shadowed presence across the hangar. As she strode purposefully towards the hangar bay doors, however, he chuckled low and deep and hurried to catch up and met her stride.

"Nice flying."

A cool look was shot over her shoulder and his smirk widened. "I flew for Rogue Squadron," she said disdainfully. "You wouldn't have asked me to fly with you if you didn't already know I fly well. So my guess is that you didn't come here, hang around the hangar and stalk me, just to tell me 'nice flying.' Am I right?"

"On the mark."

A sound that might have been an exasperated sigh escaped her lips. Turning abruptly down the corridor, she was mildly perturbed that he matched her pace still and anticipated her route. "What do you want, Master Durron?"

He grinned. "Master Durron, eh?" She said nothing. "I like that. Does that mean you've considered my second offer?"

She stopped dead in her tracks. He stood and waited until she spun angrily to face him. "I don't trust you," she practically growled. His eyes darkened. "You're arrogant and aggressive, and I'm only here because of our deal. Once General Antilles and Admiral Kre'fey deal with this gravitic weapon of yours and you come to meet with Master Skywalker, that will be it. And _until then_, you are my squadron commander. Having no formal military rank, the only proper accordance of respect would be to refer to you by your title among the Jedi order."

His unfaltering smile only served to infuriate her further. "That sounds like your twin brother talking," he murmured, leaning in close. "You've always been the one on the front lines, haven't you? You believe just as strongly as I do in showing the Vong what the consequences are of trying to take over this galaxy." She blinked, caught off-guard by his sudden change in demeanor. "So knock off the self-righteous attitude, Jaina, it isn't so very becoming to a pretty girl like yourself."

Unable to formulate a properly annoyed response to this, Jaina turned heel and continued heading towards her quarters. And he _still_ followed. "You just don't give up, do you?"

"I'm not accustomed to giving up so easily when I want something."

Her spine tingled at his low tone. Stopping and turning once more as she reached her door, she leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms. "And just what is it, exactly, that you want?"

"I think you know."

Closing her eyes for a moment, she sighed. "Why should I stick around to be your apprentice? Why do you even _want_ an apprentice? Surely it's just a waste of your time and… considerable abilities."

His brow rose curiously and that damned smirk just begged to be wiped off of his face. "Teaching others is never a waste- just as honing your own… considerable abilities… is never a waste. You aren't fully knighted yet; you can't ignore your Jedi training in favor of being a fighter pilot."

The corridor was completely still save the slight movements of the two of them. Kyp stood back, watching her, like a predator waiting to pounce. Jaina breathed shallowly, unnerved by the encounter though she could not pinpoint a reason for it. "And… if I accept," she spoke haltingly, "what sort of a training regimen might you be imposing? After all, I'm a very busy girl, what with my fighter piloting and all…"

"Oh," his eyes darkened once more, "I'm sure we could work around your considerably busy schedule. Some… late night exercises, perhaps."

"Hm," she stared unflinchingly into those dark eyes. "I'll sleep on it and give you my answer in the morning. If that's acceptable, _Master_ Durron."

That damned smirk. "Oh, that's perfectly acceptable, Sticks." For a moment, she thought he would turn and leave… but then he strode forward, placed a hand against the wall at the side of her head, and leaned down close over her. "Say- why 'Sticks'?" his voice was low and rough.

She licked her lips, mouth suddenly dry. When his gaze dropped, she ducked under his arm and palmed the release panel to her quarters. Just before disappearing, she turned to his surprised visage and shrugged. "I'm good with a stick."

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

Her mortification wouldn't desist, even as she tried to meditate before bed. Had she really just… _flirted_ with Kyp Durron? Kyp Durron, murderer of millions, former dark Jedi, Destroyer of Worlds… her cheeks burned again as she remembered her parting shot before lowering the door of her cabin.

_I'm good with a stick_?

That wasn't even innocent, Jedi academy flirtation there, that was… suggestive. _Very_ suggestive.

He was a grown man. She was… well, grown, yes. But she was seventeen, he was some sixteen years her senior. He was her commander for however long she flew with his Dozen, and she was, potentially, going to be his apprentice.

Well, there was some hope… perhaps after humiliating herself so thoroughly tonight, he'd abandon the plan of apprenticing her and just send her on back to Master Skywalker with a time and place for a rendez-vous. After all… that's the only reason she'd come out here anyway…

Little did she know that, halfway across the ship that was orbiting Chandrila, Kyp felt her confliction roiling through the Force- and he reveled in it.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

Her nervous determination called to him from the moment she woke that morning. Arriving early at the morning briefing, he awaited her patiently as the other squadron commanders filed in. The last to enter the room, Jaina did not meet his gaze and slid into the furthest chair from him that she could find.

If that was how she wanted to play- fine then.

The meeting lasted forty-five minutes. Kyp estimated that his eyes were on Jaina for about forty of them. Within the first quarter hour, she had adopted a continually red, embarrassed look and looked intently at whoever was speaking, regardless what they were saying.

It certainly gave the impression that she was serious, detail-oriented, and alert; only Kyp knew that she was doing it to avoid his gaze. Of course, whenever _he_ was speaking, her gaze dropped instantly to the table until the next person took up the discussion.

When the meeting was over, at least she wasn't naïve enough to imagine that he'd let her leave unhindered, after the games of the last forty-five minutes. She sat quietly in her chair, hands clasped in her lap, gaze lowered, cheeks pink, rocking unconsciously back and forth in her seat. He contemplated this for a minute or two, realizing that, more than anything, she looked guilty, like a child caught reprogramming the serving droid to sing its orders.

Smoothly, with the grace of a nexu on the prowl, he crossed the room and slid into the seat next to her. Her determination wavered as a tinge of discomfort laced her demeanor, and he was surprised when she spoke first.

"I think I should go."

He frowned. "Kre'fey won't be here for another month at least, you know that. And planning, staging, reconnaissance… those will probably take another month again once he _is_ here before we can strike at Sernpidal."

"No, I mean… this was a bad idea. I pitched your concerns to General Antilles and he's taking care of them- and that's what you wanted, right? I should get back to Coruscant."

"They're out for Jedi blood on Coruscant."

She huffed in frustration. "Then I'll go where I'll be useful."

"You could be very useful here."

"But you don't need me."

"No- but that's why you'll stay." She turned and stared at him in surprised confusion. "Come on, Jaina… your entire life has been about your duty, going wherever the galaxy needs your help. Maybe you deserve a break from that. Stay here- we have at least a month and probably two or three until we can take care of this super-weapon they're growing. Relax; train with me; take a much-needed break from everything."

Frowning, she struggled to answer. "I've _been_ taking a break," she finally muttered. "I was nearly blinded, I spent months recovering my full sight."

His mouth quirked. "And yet you still found yourself fighting off the Vong at every turn, didn't you? I heard about Duro…"

She shuddered involuntarily. Her mother had nearly been paralyzed when she had been tortured by Tsavong Lah, and the warmaster had shortly thereafter issued the call for the Jedi to be hunted down- her twin brother in particular. "Fine," she felt marginally guilty as she said it. "I'll stay. But," she paused and glanced down at her hands in her lap, "I still don't know how I feel about being your apprentice. After last night…"

It was his turn to frown, confused. "Last night?"

"Yes," she snapped. "We don't get along so well, you and I, and it's probably for the best if we don't exacerbate that by trying to make an apprenticeship work."

He sat back and regarded her coolly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I disagree," he murmured lowly. "I think the potential is there for us to get along just fine- if you just stop fighting it."

Her voice was just shy of outraged. "_Fighting_ it?"

"Your feelings betray you," he said silkily, almost mockingly. "And it's a dangerous game you're playing here." Her eyes widened and Kyp met her gaze evenly… before something in his eyes flickered and his look softened. "I'm sorry," he quickly soothed. "That was uncalled for."

For her part, Jaina wasn't entirely sure what had just happened- or what _game_ he was talking about.

"How's this?" he started. "You stay, we'll work together for a few days- there's not much going on anyway. And if you still feel… uncomfortable… then you go back to Master Skywalker with the details for a meeting, and no hard feelings. Deal?"

Wondering how he'd made her somehow feel guilty about _leaving_, after she initially felt guilty about _staying_, Jaina nodded hesitantly. And as they strode from the room, Kyp gesturing her before him, she was reminded, not for the first time, how incredibly powerful he was- and how dangerous he could be.

**End Part I**

**A/N**: Expect a chapter or two a day :-)

I'd love to hear thoughts,

*~Lexi~*


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Still doesn't belong to me ;-)

**Part II**

"You're… holding back," Jaina panted, spinning and blocking a high blow before dropping to a knee and somersaulting as he tried to flank her with a high leap. "Afraid to… beat up… on a girl?"

He grinned in the predatory way and thrust a hand forward. Jaina felt the Force blow coming and stuck herself in place- but it left her vulnerable as Kyp leapt forward while she couldn't move. She raised her violet blade in a defensive arc, feinted, and let herself be swept backwards by the shove; Kyp sliced through empty air.

The surprise of her maneuver cost him his continued use of the Force to shove her away. The pressure ceased moments before she hit the wall; consequently, she banged her head just a little softer than she would have otherwise. She winced once but crouched low again, conscious of her distance to the corners and determined not to allow him to back her into either.

She needn't have worried; he deactivated his lightsaber and clipped it to his belt, moving purposefully towards her. Confused, she deactivated her lightsaber as well and frowned, straightening.

"What?"

"Let me see your head."

She stared. "It's fine. We don't have to stop."

A faint flicker of a smile touched the corners of his mouth. "Just turn around and let me see your head."

Sighing a bit dramatically, she did so, clipping her lightsaber back to her belt in the process. She started a bit when she felt Kyp's fingers move softly through her hair, probing the mildly bruised area gingerly. A faint touch of the Force tingled in her scalp as he assessed any underlying damage…

And before she could react, his leg jammed into the backs of her knees, driving her to the floor; he yanked her head back by her hair and his lightsaber was suddenly ignited, inches in front of her neck.

Thirty seconds passed in silence. Jaina heard nothing beyond Kyp's heavy breathing in her ear.

"Ow?" she finally managed. Chuckling lowly, he deactivated and put away his lightsaber and released his hold on her hair but remained kneeling behind her. He pulled her disheveled hair from her face and neck, smoothing it down her back before reaching up and massaging her shoulders gently.

"Holding back?" he asked in a dangerously soft voice. She shivered involuntarily as his hands worked out a knot below her right shoulder blade. "Never forget, Jaina… physical strength is only one tool, especially to a Jedi. You shouldn't let your guard down just because the threat appears to be ended."

She groaned and leaned back into his touch. "And just how am I supposed so know whether our sparring sessions are truly over, _Master_?"

A faint sense of amusement flowed from him. "Trust your instincts?" he suggested sardonically. "What are they telling you now?"

"That it's you who's not to be trusted." She clamped her mouth shut, having spoken without thinking. His hands stilled but did not leave her shoulders, and Jaina became very aware that his breath was still heavy against her neck; she didn't think it had much to do with the physical exertion either.

"Is that so?" his voice was tinged with a dark humor. He reached one hand under her chin and tilted her head around so that their faces were mere inches apart. "Maybe your instincts are better than I thought."

For a full five seconds, she remained, paralyzed, wide-eyed and staring into those deep, dark eyes and kneeling on the floor of the training room, centimeters between their bodies…

And then with a move so sudden it even surprised him, she was off the floor and halfway across the room before he could blink. Her breathing was shallow, almost gasping. "I think that's enough for tonight. We have an early meeting."

"Jaina…"

"Goodnight, Master Durron."

He watched her go, torn between annoyance, frustration, curiosity, and… perhaps a tinge of desire.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

She was barely in the door of the training room the next night when his sharp voice rang out. "Running away from your master without having been dismissed is a bad habit to be in, Apprentice Solo."

Her expression did not falter, but he thought he detected a faint blush rise in her cheeks. "So between squadron training during the days and Jedi training in the evenings, I essentially answer to you at all times, is what you're telling me?"

"There's always the time you're asleep," he argued bemusedly. "I have no power over you then."

A definite blush that time. Interesting. Perhaps she had been having some intriguing dreams…

Looking slightly chagrined, she planted herself stoically. "My apologies, Master. It won't happen again. Now," she surveyed the dimly lit training area, "what did you have in mind for tonight?"

He tilted his head as he studied her for a moment. "Come here," he ordered. Her brow rose, but she did as told, approaching slowly- cautiously, even. She stopped a meter in front of him, but he closed the gap with a long stride, forcing her to look up at him from her considerably shorter height. "Why did you run away last night?" His tone was curious more than anything, but she looked reluctant, as though he had reprimanded her.

"I did not 'run,'" she clarified. "I told you I was leaving and left."

"That doesn't answer my question."

She frowned. "It was late and we had a long day ahead of us."

"Still not good enough."

This time she exhaled heavily, letting her frustration come through physically and mentally. "I was… uncomfortable."

His brow quirked in interest. "Is that so?"

She snapped a defensive reply. "Yes! You'd just told me that you weren't to be trusted, after dragging me to the floor with a lightsaber to my throat- a position I am more than a little reluctant to find myself in with someone I can't fully trust."

He surprised her again. "A fair point," he conceded. "But I still don't think that's the reason. I said your _instinct_ was a good one; I never said you couldn't trust me."

The consternation showed on her face as she frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Of course it does. Tell me, Jaina- how long have you known me?"

She throttled her confusion as fast as it appeared. _Good girl_. "Longer than I can remember. Fifteen years."

"And would I hurt you?"

"No." She said it immediately, automatically and then looked a bit peeved at her fast response.

He smiled. "You see- you know that I am safe to you, and that can make you lazy, sloppy; but your _instinct_- that surpasses what you know to be true. It tells you that, though you know that I would not harm you, I am still a powerful person. It makes you wary, sets you on edge, and by putting you in the situation I did, I forced you to see that side, to realize that you should never let your guard down, no matter how confident you feel of your own safety."

"So…" she took a step back to better look at his face, "all part of the lesson then?"

"Hm," he murmured noncommittally, still regarding her curiously. Of course, her sudden departure the prior night had little to do with any of these reasons, but they were valid concerns and lessons, so he would let it go- for now. Sometimes… he forgot how innocent she really was, beneath the hardened, warrior exterior.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

They sat together on the floor of her cabin, expanding their awareness in the Force, linking together much in the same way as a battle meld, but relaxed, feeling, sensing…

In two weeks, she'd been reluctant to meditate in this fashion with him, was reluctant to open her mind to him so fully. The events of a few days prior, however, had cowed her somewhat as she feared offending him by seeming to not trust him once more- so she relented after he'd barely asked again.

It was an educational experience for both. Kyp had a better view into Jaina's thought processes than ever before, and it was interesting to see the cold calculation with which she approached meditation. Nearby presences were filed neatly away in her awareness based on such factors as proximity and species, and she fully investigated each location in the Force before moving on to the next, compartmentalizing the ship in her mind as it was in real life.

Kyp's own awareness was more fluid, taking in everything at once and then breaking it down piece by piece as his attention and curiosity were grabbed by a certain action or being within his scope. Neither way was preferable over the other, he supposed; Jaina's method gave her more detail, his own gave him a broader picture of things.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and watched her in silence for a few moments, seeing her heavy-lidded eyes flutter as though dreaming as she sought out the next piece of the Force, broke it down, analyzed it, and filed the knowledge away for when it might be useful…

Her eyes opened slightly- and then wider when she realized he was watching her. A flurry of panicked emotions rose and were suppressed before Jaina pulled herself harshly out of the mind meld. It was too late though. He'd sensed exactly what she'd been trying to avoid, the emotions she had suppressed since the night he walked her from the hangar to her quarters… a sense of a dark, forbidden attraction…

"You're easily distracted," he commented coolly. Her face reddened, eyes still wide as her mind went into damage-control mode. "Is it the number of people here, so close to you? Perhaps it's exhaustion? You have been working awfully hard of late." She shook her head in annoyed defiance at the implication that she couldn't handle it. "Or perhaps…" he smiled softly, "perhaps it's just me."

Her heart thudded. "What?" Her tone was cool, controlled.

"Come now, Jaina… there's nothing to be gained by hiding your feelings. You've been suppressing them for two weeks and it isn't good for you. It's making you uncontrolled, easily goaded…"

Her eyes flickered. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"Tell me what you're feeling," he offered simply, sitting back and regarding her with his carefully schooled 'Jedi master' expression.

"I…" she hesitated. "Embarrassed. I'm better than this and I hate looking… undisciplined… especially for someone whose opinion I value as much as I do yours."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "And what is causing your lack of discipline here?"

She looked briefly annoyed before sighing and relaxing, letting it go. "I think you know," came her soft reply.

"Hm," he watched her closely. "I do. But it would be good for you to put it in the open yourself."

Face instantly red, she struggled to retain a sense of her dignity as she ground it out. "I find myself… increasingly intrigued by you," she admitted quietly. "In a way I know I shouldn't."

A slight smile touched his lips. "Why is it you think you shouldn't? Why is it forbidden?"

"I'm your apprentice!" she sounded scandalized. "You're one of my father's best friends, you're almost double my age…"

"Are you convincing yourself or me?"

She stopped her tirade abruptly. "What?" her voice was careful.

"You heard me. Jaina," he stood and took her hands in his, pulling her to her feet as well, "you aren't blind. You cannot be as oblivious as you pretend regarding my… attraction… to you." A hand reached out to stroke her hair, tucking a loose lock behind her ear.

Her question stopped him suddenly. "Is that why you wanted me for an apprentice?" she demanded, stepping to turn away from him. His hand shot out and caught her arm.

"No," he said honestly. "You'll be an extraordinary Jedi one day, but you've become lax in your training since your aunt took ill. I couldn't let you continue to neglect yourself like that." He looked her up and down slowly, and she flushed. "But… you're beautiful, fiery, and spirited, and I can't help it if I've grown to admire you for those qualities in ways that aren't strictly… master-apprentice appropriate."

Her emotions were spiking too quickly for Kyp to keep track of them. He loosened his grip on her arm but pulled her close to him again. "Maybe I should go," Jaina murmured.

"This is your room."

"I-," she frowned at his jesting tone. "You know what I mean. I should leave Chandrila."

His eyes flashed and she blinked, wondering if she'd imagined it. "Jaina," he said calmly, "we have a remarkably informal apprenticeship going; I don't think you need worry about violating the sanctity of the master-apprentice spirit here." When she didn't answer, he leaned closer down to her and his lips whispered across her ear. "And can you honestly tell me that you aren't at least a little curious…?"

He pressed his lips to hers. She was frozen, still at first, but after a moment, moved her lips experimentally against his. In response, he deepened the kiss, bringing up a hand to grasp the back of her neck as he reached out for her emotions in the Force…

She was drowning. Excitement, anticipation, confusion, nervousness… it had been bottled up, but she'd wanted this for days, and that thought more than any other drove him. He pulled her body flush against his as he plundered her mouth, strong hands moving across her back before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and holding her tight as he backed up a few steps until his knees hit the back of her small bed. Turning, she squeaked in surprise as he first pushed her against the cot and then lowered her down onto it.

And that's when the alarm bells began ringing in her head.

For a few moments she was still kissing him back as her mouth and hands struggled to stay coordinated with her mind. And then she was turning her head aside, mumbling his name as he continued to lavish kisses across her throat. When that proved ineffective, she tried pushing him until she realized two things: first, that he was much bigger and stronger; second, that she could use the Force to accomplish what her physical strength could not.

With a sudden shove, Kyp found himself stumbling backwards across the room as Jaina sat up, eyes wide, hand to her mouth in… surprise? Fear?

They stared across the small space at one another for close to a minute. Both were breathing heavily, raggedly, and Kyp's expression slowly cooled as he remembered himself. He ran a hand through his long hair. "Jaina…"

"I'm sorry," she went red and looked down.

"_No_," he said adamantly, startling her further. "Shavit, Jaina… I mean, you shouldn't be sorry. I was… out of line." He smiled ruefully. "I forget how young you are sometimes." She flushed and looked angry. "Come now," he slowly walked back to the bed and, hesitantly, sat down beside her. "I don't mean it patronizingly. It's just easy to forget that you've grown up in a war and, while you've been off chasing the Yuuzhan Vong, you haven't had time to experience that other side of adulthood."

She still looked worried. "It's not… not that I don't _like_ you," she winced. "I just don't know… what's happening…" she let out a shuddering sigh. "That just happened very quickly, is all."

"Yes," he murmured, cupping her face gently in one hand, pleased when she leaned into the touch rather than away from it. "It did, and the fault is mine. Never let anyone make you feel pressured to do something you're uncomfortable with; I got carried away and you handled it well." He smiled softly. "So let me make it up to you and tell you _exactly_ what I'd like." Her eyes contracted nervously and her breathing hitched, but she did not object. "I would like to kiss you one more time- and then I'd like to leave you to your privacy to think some things over before you turn in for the night."

A corner of her mouth quirked upwards. "That would be… acceptable."

Her stomach was aflutter with a tingling nervousness that was not entirely unpleasant as he leaned close once more and- with much less urgency- pressed his lips gently to hers again. It was a thorough kiss, slow and methodical, and she found herself disappointed when he pulled away and stood.

"Think on what's happened here tonight," he told her softly. "And if, in the morning, you still feel it best that you quit Chandrila, I will not attempt to dissuade you. Goodnight, Jaina."

**End Part II**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: How I wish I owned Kyp Durron… *sigh*

**Part III**

When he walked out of his quarters the next morning, he knew she was there waiting for him. He had sensed her approach, her firm resolve, from the moment he had woken, but he took his time in the sanisteam and getting dressed, just to see if she'd waver.

He sensed a flicker of nervousness as he palmed the release pad…

And then she was on him, pulling his mouth down to hers and wrapping her arms around his neck. Grinning through the kiss, he walked them back into his room to avoid any curious onlookers and struck the pad to close the door again with a spare elbow. He allowed the kiss to continue for another few seconds before pulling gently away from her and smiling softly.

"You'll stay?"

"I'll stay."

Something deep flickered within him and his heart started beating just a little faster. "You know, surprising a Jedi master- _your_ master- should never go unpunished."

Her head tilted slightly. "Oh dear," she said wryly. "Whatever shall be the consequences of my actions? Might I remind you," she cut off his reply, "that we have a meeting in ten minutes with some important people, not least of all Commander Darklighter and General Antilles?"

His face fell comically but he brought a hand up around her neck, running a thumb along her jaw line. "Oh," he said quietly, "that's a good thing. It gives me more time to contemplate the… seriousness of your transgression."

She just smirked and shook her head before ducking under his arm and reaching for the door panel once more. He watched her go with hooded eyes before following and matching her quick pace down the corridors of the star destroyer.

They slid into the last two available seats at the conference table thirty seconds before 0800 hours. Wedge Antilles looked up distractedly as they did so, nodded once to each, and then handed his datapad over to an aide before commencing the morning briefing.

A few times, Kyp managed to catch Jaina's eye. Each time, a faint color would rise in her cheeks and Kyp would feel a stirring satisfaction at the visual evidence of the effect he could elicit from her, having a sudden desire to see more of her skin flushed in excitement like that…

He caught a jolt of embarrassment in the Force and smirked across the table, realizing that something of that last image had gotten through to her.

"Jaina?"

She started and looked up at Wedge. "Yes, General?" her voice was quiet and hoarse.

He frowned. "Are you alright? You look a little… bothered."

If there was anything he could have said to make her flush deeper, that was it. "I- sorry, sir. I'm not quite feeling myself this morning," she stammered. "I wonder if I might be excused?"

"Of course. Send word if you're still in the med bay through sim training, we'll find a replacement for the exercise."

She stared unblinkingly for a moment, realizing she was stuck now going to the med bay. Across the table, Kyp was fighting the smile threatening to take over his face, and Jaina shot him a dirty look. "Yes, sir. I should be fine with a bit of rest, I'll see you at thirteen hundred."

Without another word, she glided noiselessly from the room. Wedge shot a quick and calculating look at her back- and then another to Kyp- before turning back to Gavin Darklighter who was discussing Yuuzhan Vong movements near Reecee and Selvaris.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

Two hours later, Kyp found her attempting to meditate in the training room. It was one of those rare times during the day when it was empty, with crew and pilots occupied by meetings, morning briefings, or breakfast, but despite the dark and eerie silence of the room, she seemed to struggle to focus.

"I could sense you coming," she offered by way of greeting, slowly opening her eyes and reaching her arms above her head to stretch.

He looked her over. "Did you go to the infirmary?"

"Yes."

Surprise flickered across his features as he sat a few feet in front of her. "Oh? What did they say?"

She grinned. "Nothing. I just asked for a stim-shot, said I wasn't sleeping well and had difficulty concentrating." He continued to regard her carefully and she sensed a feeling from him that was more than a little foreign- nervousness. "Are you alright?"

"I went by the infirmary first to see if you were there," he said, not answering the question. "I grabbed something for you." She frowned, confused, and he pulled a long tube that she recognized as a syringe holder from his robe pocket.

Handing it over, he watched her face carefully as she read the label and, as predicted, she quickly went red. "Kyp," she muttered, "I uh…"

"I just want you to have it in your medpac," he urged. "I told you last night to never let yourself feel pressured into anything you didn't want, but you also have to consider ahead to the time when you _do_ want it. That could be tomorrow, a month from now, or ten years from now, but you wouldn't want to be caught unprepared, whenever it happens. Okay?" he asked gently, and she nodded. "Hey," he leaned forward, urging her to look up at him. "I'm just looking out for you."

She restrained herself from pointing out that there would be a very strong chance that it was himself he was looking out for just as much as her.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

As he had anticipated would happen, Jaina was more subdued the next couple of days, throwing herself into whatever training exercises the squadron was doing during the day and focusing intently on sparring and meditating techniques in the evenings. She refused to let her mind wander over the events of the past few days, but that was good, in Kyp's opinion. Jaina had always been too hot-headed- like himself- and that led to easy distraction. Now she was simply getting better at compartmentalizing her emotions in light of their shifting relationship.

And despite the cool, collected attitude while they were training… there was a moment each night when her eyes would soften and she would allow him to give her a lingering kiss before they parted ways.

For now… it was worth it.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

He held up a hand to stop her as she made to discard her outer robe. "I thought we could bypass the sparring tonight."

Bemusedly, she turned to face him. "Oh? Getting soft on me, Master?"

A flash of dry humor touched her. "No," he murmured. "That is most definitely _not_ the case." He studied her carefully. "Nevertheless, I thought we could take the night to… talk."

"To talk?" her voice was remarkably skeptical.

"Sure. Seeing as I'm kissing you goodnight on a regular basis these days, it didn't seem wholly unreasonable that we spend just one night doing something more than sitting quietly and sensing the some-thousands of _other_ people on this ship."

Her lips quirked. "Something more? How much more?"

"However much you want," he said lowly, gratified when she flushed but did not look away.

She looked hesitant. "Ah, uh… did you want to do that here?" She laughed at his sudden wide-eyed surprise. "_Talk_, Kyp. Did you want to _talk_ here?"

He chuckled, unembarrassed. "Sure; unless you have a better idea."

By the look on her face, she was weighing the options carefully. "No, here is good," she finally settled, and Kyp wondered if she didn't like the idea of neutral ground, as opposed to one of their cabins. "Shoot."

A Q and A then; that was fine. "Tell me about your love life." She shot him a sharp look. "I don't need names and dates," he said evenly. "I just wonder how you manage to be so coy and teasing at the same time as innocent and confused."

Her initial reaction was indignation; that was fine too. He sat patiently, staring her down coolly, until she relented, albeit a bit grudgingly.

"I had something of an on-and-off boyfriend at the academy. Off, mostly," she admitted. "We'd been friends since Jacen and I were nine or so. But he…" she trailed off and looked away, eyes unfocused. "It never really went anywhere. He was too frightened of hurting me again, and when he finally got over _that_… it was just too late. We kissed once; it felt weird."

"Hurting you again?" Kyp frowned.

She just shook her head. "He fell; the Shadow Academy recruited him, twisted him into a dark shadow of what he'd been back on Coruscant- we didn't even know he was Force-sensitive," she admitted ruefully. "After the attack on the praxeum, he came back to the light, but he wouldn't stay to be trained properly, he was too afraid of himself. When he _did_ finally come back… Jacen and I left soon after to start our proper apprenticeships with Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara."

"Yes," Kyp murmured. "That story is… familiar. Though I never met your mysterious, dark suitor," he teased lightly.

"Zekk," Jaina ground out. "His name is Zekk, and he's not 'dark.' Not anymore, anyway."

"Hm." They sat in contemplative silence for a few minutes. "What else?" he finally prompted.

She frowned. "That's it."

A wave of surprise swept him, followed by a tingling of guilt, but he suppressed both sensations. It was no wonder she had become so alarmed so quickly in her quarters a few nights ago…

For the first time, he wondered if her decision to stay here with him had been a good one.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

"Master Durron- a word, please?"

He glanced around curiously. Wedge's voice was cool and firm, his gaze tense as he watched the rest of the squadron leaders file out of the meeting. Admiral Kre'fey was due to arrive in-system in a day or two, putting all fighters on standby alert.

"Yes, General?" he did his best to sound calmly indifferent. It was no secret that the infamous Wedge Antilles didn't much care for him; to be perfectly honest, Wedge wasn't his favorite person in the galaxy either.

The older man sized him up for a moment. "You've taken Jaina Solo as your apprentice." It wasn't a question.

Kyp frowned. "Yes; she has been for a month. Surely you aren't just hearing of this now…?"

Wedge waved off the inquiry. "Gavin is hoping to induct her back into Rogue Squadron by the time we finish up at Sernpidal."

He'd suspected as much. "It is a rather- informal arrangement. She is my apprentice only as long as she remains here with my squadron and _chooses_ to be my apprentice."

"Tell me, Master Durron… this 'informal arrangement' of yours… does it entail late nights in your cabin alone?"

He bristled. "It's difficult to find quiet space on a ship like this, surely you understand, General. Having said that- I hardly see how Jaina's ongoing Jedi training is a matter of your concern…"

"Her primary purpose here is to fly a snubfighter," Wedge snapped, "and that makes it my concern if she is not spending her free time recovering her strength adequately. We could find ourselves under attack at any time and I need prepared pilots."

Kyp eyed him curiously. "She works no longer or harder than I do."

"You're a grown man."

"I think Jaina would resent your implication," Kyp murmured softly.

A lengthy, terse silence stretched between them. Then, Wedge really made Kyp want to throttle him. "Are you sleeping with her?"

"General Antilles," he bit, "I can _assure_ you that Jaina Solo would resent this highly inappropriate interest in her personal life even more than I do. And, to answer your question… no."

It was said with complete honesty, and Wedge seemed taken aback and then mildly chagrined. Kyp was amused to see the look of consternation of the older man's face as he realized he'd played his cards wrong. Surely he knew that Jaina and Kyp had become involved- otherwise, he wouldn't have confronted him like this. But he'd jumped too far, too fast and couldn't backtrack.

"If that's all, General?"

With a look of frustration and annoyance on his face, Wedge waved him away. Kyp couldn't help but smirk lightly as he strutted back to his cabin.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

Alarms sounded. Across the ship, pilots snapped out of bed and shoved their arms and legs into flight suits, their feet into boots, and tucked helmets under their arms before dashing out into the crowded corridor and rushing towards the fighter hangars.

It took Jaina less than three minutes from the first alarm to be approaching her craft, her droid being lowered down into the socket already.

Another five minutes passed and her fighter was powered up, shields and weapons online, and tearing out of the hangar with a few dozen other small starfighters of various designs. Pouring out into space, it was immediately evident what the problem was: the _Ralroost _had arrived as scheduled. The large ship movements, however, had attracted a Yuuzhan Vong patrol fleet which was now hammering at the bothan cruiser which already had squadrons of fighters emptying from the docking bays.

She was preparing to locate Kyp's squadron when her private comm channel pinged with a message. "Solo, you'll be flying Rogue today- thirteen." She recognized the low voice of Gavin Darklighter.

"Yes, sir," she murmured, checking her sensor readings and locating the still-forming Rogue cluster. "I'll be without a wingmate though…"

"Negative," a new voice sounded in her ear. "You'll be forming up with me. Rogue fourteen, reporting in."

She stared at her console. "_General_?" she asked, astounded.

The laughter in his voice was obvious. "I don't want to let my piloting skills completely deteriorate; you better be on top form today, Jaina, no one will forget it if you let the fleet commander get vaped."

He was joking but Jaina winced. Joke or not, it was completely true.

**End Part III**

**A/N: **Halfway done already…! ;-)

Until next time,

*~Lexi~*


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter… *wink*

_**Sticks**_- your reviews make me smile… can't wait for this one… *evil laugh*

**Disclaimer**: Kyp is still not mine, and this makes me sad.

**Part IV**

"Kyp! Kyp, wait up!" He slowed but did not stop. A cold anger was escaping him that froze in the pit of Jaina's stomach. When he reached a turbolift, she rushed ahead, not entirely sure that he would have held the car for her. Thankfully, they were the only two inside. "Kyp, what's wrong? We did really well out there, neither of our squadrons lost anyone…" he stared at the doors as though willing them to open mid-level. "Please, Kyp…" He turned and looked at her, and the fiery intensity of his eyes scared her. "Kyp?"

And then he was there, mouth descending hungrily on hers, hands running through her hair that was still damp with sweat from the warm cockpit and the short but intense fight. She was too shocked to do much of anything, but the beep of the lift car indicating their approaching stop jolted him back to his senses. Growling, he pressed a different button and the car continued up another three levels than initially planned.

"Kyp? Where are you going?"

"Your quarters."

She accepted that in calm silence. Clearly he did not want to discuss his frustrations here for the ship to see and hear. When the car arrived, he pulled her out with him, leading her down the corridor with a grip around her forearm.

Reaching the proper room, she waved her identichip for the control pad and they quickly entered the room, Kyp smacking the pad on the other side to shut the door behind them. He let go of her arm, ran a hand through his long hair, and sat heavily in the chair by the small desk in the corner.

For a long minute, she sat on the edge of the bed and waited for him to speak. When he didn't, she huffed in frustration. "Want to tell me what's the matter?"

His expression had cooled slightly but she still sensed an underlying angry frustration. At least it wasn't directed at her. "_General_ Wedge Antilles is the matter," he finally spat.

"What?" She wasn't sure what she'd expected- but it wasn't that. "Is this about… me flying with Rogue Squadron and not the Dozen?" He didn't answer and she had her confirmation. "Kyp- if I'd flown with you, I'd have been an extra wing, your numbers were even. Rogue needed another fighter."

He gave a short, barking laugh. "They needed another fighter _because_ Antilles wanted you there. Why choose this flight to test his wings? It wasn't even a close engagement, we had them easily outnumbered."

She stared. "Why would General Antilles care which squad I flew with?"

"To get under my skin."

"Kyp…" she frowned. "Wedge Antilles is above such petty tactics, especially when lives are at stake. And…" she hesitated, "even if he _did_ want to annoy you, you're only showing him how easy it is to do so."

That stopped him short in his furious musings. For a moment, Jaina thought he was about to transfer that anger to her, but he chuckled and his features softened. His voice was still serious though. "You're my apprentice; you should have flown with me."

She stood and crossed the room, looked unsure for a moment, and then settled herself down in Kyp's lap. He looked pleasantly surprised and brought his arms up around her as she leaned back against his chest, sighing tiredly. "If you'd like," she offered, "I could talk to him tomorrow."

He seemed to consider for a moment before exhaling deeply. "No," he was resigned. "It wouldn't be proper protocol. I'll speak with him soon."

Glad to have calmed him down this much, Jaina tilted her head up and smiled softly. Kyp leaned over and placed a light kiss on her forehead, arms tightening around her waist. "Why did you want to come here instead of your room?"

He chuckled ruefully. "I knew you'd follow me either way; it seemed… politer… not to make you traverse half the ship in the middle of the night once I was done raging against the leadership."

"How considerate of you," she teased. "Still… I don't think there needs to be any traversing."

"Oh?"

She turned sideways on his lap so she could look up at his face more easily. A light kiss was placed against his cheek before she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Stay here tonight." He considered her for a moment silently. "Morning activities are canceled," she pointed out, "we have no obligations until thirteen hundred…"

"Jaina Solo," he said in mock-scandalous surprise, "are you propositioning me?"

Her face fell. "Was I that obvious?"

He froze. "I was joking," he admitted.

"Oh." She went red but continued on doggedly. "Well, I wasn't. You should stay. And we can… see where the night takes us."

The ensuing silence was heavy, and Jaina bit her lip nervously. "If you'd like," he finally murmured lowly against her ear. "Where's your medpac?"

Her body tensed ever so slightly, but he sensed a nervous anticipation above all else. "The travel case by the door."

With a flick of his wrist, the case opened and the bag in question soared across the room into his outstretched hand. As he caught it, he leaned down to capture her lips in his, not relenting as he rummaged through the kit one handed, seeking the thin tube he'd handed her some two weeks prior…

He pulled back and looked carefully into her eyes as his hands deftly opened the canister. He removed the small injection vial within and tapped it a few times. "Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked her. "Not that there's a point of no return or anything…"

"I'm sure," she interrupted in a whisper. Regarding her through heavily lidded eyes, he undid the top few fastens on her flight suit, pulling the right sleeve down below her shoulder. With one more verifying look at Jaina's face, he placed the tip of the syringe against her arm and depressed the spring mechanism. She winced, but the built-in numbing agent quickly counteracted the brief pain of the needle. She watched him as he set the syringe on the desk. "Now what?"

He chuckled low and deep, twisting her stomach into more anticipatory knots. "Relax," he rubbed her back in small circles, "we have hours, remember? And I don't know about _you_," he grimaced, "but I could use a sanisteam after that skirmish."

"Oh," her face colored a bit, "yeah. Good point."

But she made no move to stand and it occurred to Kyp that she was very much clueless about essentially everything that she had proposed for the night. Carefully, he maneuvered her onto her feet and stood, pulling her back against his chest. "Tell you what," he brushed her hair off of her bare shoulder, "I'll go first, give you a few minutes to relax… and then you can take as much time as you need in the refresher, and if you change your mind about me staying, that's okay too."

Leaving her to her own devices, Kyp enjoyed the few minutes to collect his own thoughts.

Part of him was nervous- probably more nervous than she was. This was Jaina, not some random fling between squadrons. He'd known her since she was all of a toddler when her father had helped rescue him from Kessel and practically adopted him for several weeks while he enjoyed freedom, prior to beginning his Jedi training.

More importantly- she was young and, in the matters at hand, wholly innocent. A deep primal part of him reveled in that knowledge. A closer part, the part that worried about the future, wondered if he shouldn't hurt her feelings now to avoid breaking her heart later. She was inexperienced, and that more often than not led to impressionability and attachments, the desire for promises that couldn't be kept.

Then again- Jaina was nothing if not pragmatic. They were at war, many friends and Jedi had already died; nothing was forever and she knew that. She was here by choice, had second-guessed her every opportunity to leave, and still chose to remain with him. Who was he, then, to pretend to know what was best for her? Isn't that what Wedge Antilles was trying to do, when he questioned their relationship? She might be young, but Jaina was her own person, had been far more independent by the age of thirteen than most beings twice her age. And now, at seventeen, she'd been fighting a deadly invasion force for more than a year, had proven her skills in the Force, in a snubfighter, with a lightsaber… she was no child and could decide what she wanted.

When he exited the refresher, he saw her breathing hitch as she caught site of his form, clad only in his flightsuit undershorts. Smirking smugly, he stepped aside and allowed her to bypass him. Then she was gone and he was again left to his thoughts. He chose to attempt to clear his mind, however, figuring she'd take a while.

He was right.

It was probably fifteen or twenty minutes before he heard the door open again. He was sitting on her bed, leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed in front of him, eyes closed. A few seconds passed; he wanted her to be the one to initiate whatever happened from here on tonight.

"Kyp."

He opened his eyes and they immediately darkened in desire. She wore only a small bathrobe that hung to mid-thigh; compared to the full-body flight suit, or occasional Jedi robes, it was a remarkable improvement, he thought slyly. The neck was open just enough to make him want to see more, the sash around the waist cinched tightly, accentuating her figure.

"Come here, beautiful." He held out his hand and she tentatively sat on the bed next to him, but sliding close under his arm to lean against his side, sighing contentedly. "Are you tired?" he asked softly, pulling her damp hair around behind her shoulders.

A flash of confusion emanated from her. "A little," she acknowledged. "Not enough to sleep yet. I'm still running on a stimpak from before the fight."

As was he. Even Jedi could benefit from artificially-created energy, freeing up more of their Force powers and awareness for the battle itself. He ghosted his lips over the sensitive flesh on her neck under her ear. "What do you want, Jaina? The night is yours."

In response, she pulled away and turned towards him slightly, placing a hand against his bare chest and another against his cheek as she leaned forward and kissed him. The kiss started off soft and deepened into something hungry and passionate…

She pulled away, a smile touching the corners of her lips. Taking initiative and surprising him further still, she swung her leg around and was astride him, revealing more and more of her pale, toned legs as the robe rode higher…

His hands ran up and down the tops of her thighs as she leaned into him, pressing feather-light kisses across his brow, over his eyes, on his cheeks, everywhere except his mouth. Groaning softly, one hand ran up to her waist and she trembled as he sought the tie of the sash.

When it was undone, his breath grew heavier and quicker, her anticipation rose in the Force… gently, slowly, giving her every chance to reach out and stay his hands, he pulled the sides of the robe apart… and chuckled.

She grinned coyly. "Figured I should make you work for it." Under the robe, she wore a plain white undershirt and standard issue sleep shorts that could be found in just about any cabin aboard any military vessel.

"Gladly," he growled, crushing her to him and ravaging her mouth thoroughly in retaliation for her sly trickery. He deepened the kiss, hands roaming across the thin material that lay between them… and then he felt her small hands pushing against his chest, and her attempt to pull away from the kiss.

He immediately released her and she backed away gasping. "What's wrong?" he asked quickly, afraid he had ruined it again.

She just smiled sardonically. "Couldn't breathe."

They just sat and stared at one another for a few seconds before they both laughed. A certain amount of tension seemed to leave them, and Kyp chose that moment to grab her suddenly and roll her around. She shrieked and laughed, finding herself suddenly pressed firmly against the mattress by Kyp's considerably heavier weight. Her robe was twisted, hair flying in her face, but the look in her eyes stopped Kyp short.

Total adoration.

She was breathing deeply, a soft smile playing across her lips, but that look… it clenched his heart and twisted his gut as he realized something.

It was he who was going to be irrevocably altered by this relationship.

"Kyp?"

He blinked. Her brows had furrowed in concern and he wondered how long he'd been simply staring at her. "Sorry," he stammered. "I just… you're beautiful."

A faint pink rose in her neck and face, but she smiled sincerely. "My," she said quietly, "have I rendered the great Master Durron speechless?"

Unable to respond, he rose up off of her and she looked confused and a little hurt before he pulled her up with him. Noiselessly, he slid the robe off of her shoulders and ran his hands down her thinly-clad torso, skimming the sensitive flesh of her stomach, ghosting over the swell of her breasts as she shivered. No longer reluctant to take the lead, he sought the edge of her undershirt and kissed her firmly on the mouth before pulling it up over her head.

He stared at her. Embarrassed, she turned her face away, but he caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilted her gaze back towards him. "Don't," he whispered hoarsely. "You have nothing to be ashamed about, Jaina."

Having divested her of everything save the sleep shorts, Kyp slowly and gently lowered her back to the small bed where she lay, chest rising and falling quickly with her heavy breathing, expression torn between self-consciousness and desire.

He clasped her hands in his and raised them over her head as he forcefully brought his mouth back to hers. His body pressed flush against hers and she whimpered; the noise sent a fresh jolt of arousal through him. With a concerted effort, he moved slowly down her body, letting his mouth drift down her neck, the middle of her chest, across her belly, until he was kneeling on the floor in front of her, his hands at her hips, fingering the waistband of her shorts.

Her body lifted slightly- her silent permission to continue. He did not hesitate, and then she was finally laid bare before him and his eyes smoldered, drinking in the unblemished perfection of her body.

Once, she twitched, and he read her instinctive desire to cover herself in the motion. Swiftly he stood and took her hands, pulling her to a sitting position before turning her to the side and pressing her back down lengthwise along the bed instead, where he could wrap his arms around her trembling form and lie down holding her.

For some time, they lay like that, listening to each others' breathing and feeling their hearts beating together. And eventually, he felt her breathing slow and it grew gradually steadier as she drifted into a comfortable slumber.

When she awoke some hours later, her initial reaction was confusion and mild panic; she was pressed tightly against a wall and had nowhere to move.

Then she calmed slightly and remembered. Twisting her head around and wriggling out of Kyp's tight grip around her waist, she turned and saw his face, relaxed in sleep and looking more peaceful than she could ever really recall. As her mind worked through process of waking up, she thought her whole body would be a vibrant red flush if Kyp were awake to see her right now. There was more than a little confusion lingering though… there hadn't been a plan, per say, but if there had been, she was reasonably sure that falling asleep when they had would not have been on it.

Her internal sense of time suggested that it was not yet nearly time they'd have to actually go about their duties; the alarm at midnight and ensuing four hour skirmish and debriefs had persuaded the higher-ups to postpone the usual morning schedule until the afternoon and cancel the simulator trainings altogether for the day- they'd had enough excitement in the battle. Consequently, she didn't feel particular inclined to go anywhere until about 1200 and she was reasonably sure that it was still fairly early in the morning. Nevertheless… paranoia wanted her to be sure.

There was a chrono on the bedside table. She tried to look up over Kyp's slumbering form to get a glance at it, but as she leaned forward across his chest, his arms came up to clamp around her upper arms.

"Going somewhere?"

She smirked and struggled in his grasp. "Just checking the time, _Master_."

He opened his mouth to respond then stopped, closed his eyes, and groaned. "Jaina… for the love of all things sacred, _stop_ squirming like that."

She froze… looked down… and her entire being exploded in an embarrassed blush. He chuckled and pulled her firmly against him, tucking loose hairs behind her ears. "Relax," he murmured softly. "It's barely oh-eight-thirty. Did you sleep well?"

"Hm," she considered, arching her back slightly to stretch- and to retaliate for her embarrassment as she watched in satisfaction when he grimaced and his eyes darkened. She abandoned her revenge quickly though and resettled herself against him, burrowing unconsciously into the warmth of the blanket covering them and the heat of his body. "Yes," she finally declared. "My sleep was very… relaxed." A finger reached up to trace random patterns on his bare chest. "I feel good."

"Excellent," he rolled slightly so he was hovering above her, propped on one elbow while he caressed her face. "You may need your strength."

Her stomach twisted in anticipation at the barely-veiled lust in his teasing tone. When she spoke though, her voice was soft, hesitant. "Kyp?" He met her eyes questioningly. "Why the nap?"

He looked genuinely confused. "What?"

"Last night… or this morning, however… we just sort of… stopped."

"You were tired; your stimpak wore off." She frowned and he smiled down at her endearingly. "Jaina, this is for you. You need to _want_ it, to take it… the first time you give yourself to someone shouldn't be because they're expecting you to, or you think you should. It has to be because you're ready and it's what _you_ want."

Her voice was practically a whisper. "But it _is_ what I want."

"Prove it," he hissed, skimming a hand across the bare flesh of her side. She shivered and hesitated for the briefest of moments before reaching up and pulling him to her, feeling the warm, muscular flesh of his abdomen press against her; she wrapped her legs loosely around his hips as she hugged him to her, kissing his face, neck, chest…

Her back arched as his mouth found a sensitive spot above her collar bone and his hands gently stroked and teased her breasts. The only sound for a minute was the heavy breathing of both as they coaxed each other further and further to the edge. "Kyp," she finally gasped, fingers teasing the waist of his shorts, "please."

"Please what?" he mumbled, nibbling thoughtfully on her ear.

"Lose the pants," she growled, earning a satisfying surprised look from him. "_Now_."

Grinning suggestively, he did as commanded, but sobered once more as her demeanor shifted ever so slightly towards anxious when he settled back above her moments later. "Hey," he murmured, pulling wild locks of hair from her face. "Tell me to stop and I will."

"I know," she whispered. And then, even softer still, "Take me, Kyp."

Obedient for once in his rebellious life, he positioned himself and braced for and inevitable combination of his overwhelming pleasure and her raw pain. "This will hurt," he warned softly, and she nodded; before she had time to think about it, he thrust deep inside her, simultaneously smothering her cry with his mouth and caressing her face.

He stilled and listened to her gasping breathing while he felt her drawing on the Force to suppress her pain. "Sh," he murmured, kissing her softly and wiping at the sudden moisture in the corners of her eyes. After several seconds, her initial shock seemed to have lessened and she exuded a bit more calmness. "Are you alright?"

She nodded tightly and he- excruciatingly slowly- began to rock back and forth, taking her with long, deep strokes, possessing her completely… his words poured forth unbidden. "You're mine now, Jaina," he murmured, "I'll never let you go."

His pace quickened and briefly, she lifted her hips and matched him, thrust-for-thrust. Then she was gasping and, suddenly, her whole aura shifted and she was completely overwhelmed; he was already pulling away from her when she gasped, "Kyp, stop… it's too much, stop…"

In just a few seconds, he settled beside her and pulled the blanket up over her trembling body before drawing her into his arms, pressing his lips against the base of her neck and wrapping an arm protectively around her waist. "It's okay," he murmured comfortingly, "breathe…"

"I'm sorry," her response seemed automatic.

"You've nothing to be sorry for," his voice was soothing. "It's a lot to handle, the first time." He held her until she visibly and mentally relaxed, and he could no longer sense the embarrassed panic of moments earlier. "You okay?" he murmured, lightly skimming his fingers across her hips and stomach.

"Mm," she sighed, relaxing back against him.

She tensed as she felt his fingers slide lower and lower down her body… then groaned as he began gently touching, stroking, caressing her and any thoughts of resistance were quickly lost to a fuzzy haze of blissful pleasure.

For his part, Kyp watched her heavy-lidded, half-closed eyes flutter and her body alternately tense and relax with a hungry expression on his face. "The pain will go away after the first few times," he said lowly, breath hot against her ear. "Don't focus on it." She whimpered and shook her head in acknowledgement, but unable to reply verbally in her current state. "You're beautiful, Jaina; how is it that a fighter-pilot, Jedi warrior like yourself is so passionate?"

She didn't answer- not that he'd expected her to even possess the ability at the moment. For a few more minutes, he was relentless, possibly more desperate for her release than she was; he wanted to see her, Jaina, usually so close and controlled, lose herself and fall apart for him.

He wasn't disappointed. Physical reactions and surging emotions in the Force signaled near success in his task. Leaning in close, he nuzzled against her neck and murmured, "Let go, Jaina." Seconds later, she stilled, even stopped breathing… and then she was gasping and shuddering against him while he slowed his ministrations until, eventually, her whole body relaxed back against the bed, exhausted and sated. Her entire body was flushed a pale pink and Kyp drank in the sight before him.

"Perfect," he said lowly.

A comfortable silence lasted a few minutes while Jaina relaxed back into his grasp. Logic suggested that she'd probably try for another couple hours of sleep before getting up for a quick lunch and making it to briefings in the afternoon. As had already been proven in the last several hours, however- Jaina Solo was unpredictable.

Once she had recovered suitably, she rolled around to face Kyp, who caressed her cheek and leaned over to capture her lips in a soft but lengthy kiss. Not bothering to break it, she pushed him off his side and onto his back, swinging a leg around to straddle him, grinning mischievously the entire time. His dark eyes bore into hers but he said nothing as she slowly but determinedly lowered herself onto him, wincing briefly at the friction to raw, sensitive flesh, but continuing gamely on.

Words were entirely unnecessary; Kyp reached for her and held her hips, supporting her as she slowly- and perhaps a bit curiously- rocked back and forth. He coaxed her body down to his and kissed her fiercely as he fought the urge to take her hard and fast.

Despite her slow, steady pace, hours of pent-up frustration made short work of Kyp's self-control. In just a few minutes, he tightened his grip at her waist and held her while he groaned and stilled in his release. She was breathing hard against him, and he sensed a subtle intermingling of pleasure and pain diffusing as he lifted her from him and rolled sideways, pulling her close to him once more.

Sweaty, dirty, hearts beating fast but together, they slept.

**End Part IV**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **slightly shorter chapter here after that last long one… and just a reminder, only one chapter to go, which will go up tomorrow at the same time as the first part of the sequel. I'll send a link to the sequel when the end of this goes up. :-)

**Disclaimer**: If only…

**Part V**

"Admiral," Jaina smiled and shook the bothan's hand; he smiled back warmly.

"Jedi Solo, it's wonderful to see you again; I trust your family is well?" He didn't wait for a response. "It's a terrible thing, the attitude that's erupted towards the Jedi, on Coruscant itself no less… I've told my cousin that the Jedi are going to make the difference in this war, but he's stubborn as a… ah, Master Durron!"

Kyp eyed the commander of the _Ralroost_ bemusedly, but shook the proffered hand. "Admiral Kre'fey, I'm glad you were able to make it."

The bothan waved him off. "I just wish we had been able to disengage sooner; I'd like to get a quick start with this weapon your squadron uncovered in Sernpidal, the last thing we need now is another unknown quantity that the Vong can use against us."

"I quite agree, Admiral," Wedge Antilles was watching the reunion with a bit of annoyed impatience, Jaina thought, but she didn't have time to speculate. "So let us adjourn to our war room and we can see what we already know and decide where to go from there."

The four walked together from the shuttle pad on the base on Chandrila where they would be conducting their planning sessions. Jaina was relieved to be on solid ground again, for however short a time. As they walked, Kre'fey fell into step beside her. "Have you been formally knighted yet, Jaina?"

She shook her head. "No, sir. Between the onset of the war and my aunt's illness and now the pregnancy, I never finished my apprenticeship with her. I uh," she glanced around at Kyp who seemed to be paying them little heed, "I've actually been apprenticing informally with Master Durron while we've been stationed aboard the _Mon Mothma_, but it's not likely to last long once the mission to Sernpidal is completed. Commander Darklighter is trying to cut the political tape and get me back into Rogue Squadron. "

"Master Durron, eh?" Kre'fey shot a glance over at the robed Jedi master. "Good man; bit of a loose cannon though, isn't he?"

"Perhaps," she conceded wryly. "But we know each other very well."

Wedge chose that moment to join the conversation, unbidden. "Yes," he said pleasantly, but Jaina saw something hard in his eyes. "I remember when your father returned from Kessel with him, when he was all of eighteen or so… and you and Jacen were just little things then."

She sensed something from Kyp that seemed akin to a mental eye-roll. "Yes, sir. I don't really remember, but I was only two when Kyp came to stay with us for a time."

"That was probably nice for your parents," Wedge continued, voice just a little _too_ innocent now. "Sort of an impromptu baby-sitter when they were busy with state affairs, huh?"

Kyp tensed. Jaina's eyes narrowed as far as she dared them while speaking to a New Republic general, even if it was one she knew as well as Wedge. "Threepio took charge of Jacen and myself at that age when necessary," she told him stiffly. "I believe my father spent most of that period of time keeping Kyp out of trouble, actually."

"Try the other way around," Kyp muttered behind her, and Kre'fey chuckled, apparently oblivious to whatever unspoken battle of wills existed between Wedge and Kyp- and was being waged through Jaina. Supremely annoyed, she promised to ask Kyp later just what exactly he had done to piss off Wedge Antilles.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

Maintaining a conscious awareness of casual passerby around them, Kyp and Jaina strode through the sizable courtyard of the headquarters building on the base. Their hands were clasped behind their backs, and they looked for all the galaxy like a master and apprentice sharing a quiet conversation… unless someone got closer and heard the hissing, heated tones.

"What was _that_ all about?" Jaina demanded.

He shrugged, far too casually. "I told you, the general likes getting under my skin."

"Yes, but why?"

Kyp's voice became snappish. "He doesn't like me, Jaina, who cares?"

"I care," she stressed.

He sighed and led her to a bench, sitting and stretching his long legs out in front of him. Jaina sat stiffly, arms crossed. "He was annoyed that I took you on as my apprentice," he finally muttered. "He probably thinks I'm corrupting you."

She giggled in a very uncharacteristic manner. "Cute. Are you?" she deadpanned. He just shot her a look and thought about how they'd woken up barely six hours prior.

"Irrevocably," he assured her wryly. "Anyway, I think it bothers him to see the young daughter of a close friend paired up with the volatile, formerly dark Jedi is all."

Jaina snorted. "It's been fifteen years; how long do you think he'll hold that over you?"

"Until the very moment he can throw it in my face, undoubtedly."

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

The hyperspace jump to Sernpidal took nearly a week, given the partitioning of the travel lanes during the war. Detours had to be followed, adding hours, to avoid potential Yuuzhan Vong gravity traps. All in all, for most of the crew it was a dull way to pass a week after the enjoyable experience of being on solid ground in Chandrila for several days.

Jaina and Kyp didn't mind, somehow.

The usual schedule of squadron briefings and simulator training continued, but since they were unable to conduct usual flight tests they generally had more free time day to day than was normal. This gave the Jedi master and his informal apprentice plenty of time together to continue Jedi training- among other things.

Curled in the crook of Kyp's arm one evening, Jaina reflected on the time they'd spent together, both in the past six weeks, since she had met up with Kyp's squadron, and since her relationship with Kyp had grown into something more, something serious yet indescribable.

She thought she had sensed an odd melancholy about him lately; perhaps because the fleet's move to Sernpidal signaled the beginning of the end of Kyp's tense alliance with Wedge Antilles. Once it was taken care of, Jaina expected to stay with the _Mon Mothma_ as Rogue Squadron's flagship, assuming Darklighter managed to get her back on the roster as he planned. Kyp, on the other hand, would go back to what he did best- waging a guerrilla war when and where it best suited his Dozen, aligning with the military when necessary- like at Sernpidal- but not regularly.

As much as she liked Kyp, Jaina was smart enough to know that what there was between them was temporary and just for fun. But still… she would be sad when they parted ways.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Kyp woke and groaned, rolled over, buried his face in her hair and slung an arm across her waist, dragging her close against him. She laughed and turned her face to kiss his cheek. "Nice nap?"

"Hm," he murmured, voice muffled by her hair. "Did you sleep?"

"No," she sighed contentedly, squirming a bit as his fingers turned explorative and playful. "Stop that!"

He smiled a predatory smirk. "Care for a sanisteam?"

"Should I be offended at that question?"

His hands found a sensitive spot above her knee and she squealed. He covered the sound with a kiss and murmured in her ear. "I was thinking for more _recreational _purposes," he said. "Together."

"Sounds… crowded."

"We'll make it work."

And they did.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

She felt him coming before the clang of his heavy-booted footsteps reverberated around the plated floor of the XJ hangar. Refusing to hurry, she continued her work with the hydrospanner, conscious of Kyp standing and watching her half-exposed body sticking out from the underside of the maintenance access hatch.

"Don't they have mechanics and droids for this sort of thing?"

A minute later, she slid out and glared up at the Jedi master. "I _am_ a mechanic," she said tartly. "And I like to be personally responsible for the tip-top shape of my own craft when flying into battle, thank you."

Kyp grinned. "And I'm sure you'll go over it another half-dozen times between now and then anyway, so let's say you take a little break, hm?"

"Master Durron," Jaina said with an assumed wide-eyed innocence, "you wouldn't want to jeopardize the condition of my craft now, would you?"

The corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement. "No… I was just thinking that maybe the cockpit could use some more work. There seemed to be a bit of a problem, last time I was up there…"

"You were in _my_ ship?" she demanded, keeping her own smile at bay with effort.

He shrugged. "Sure, just concerned with my apprentice's safety. I wanted to check out a few things… system controls, life-support… spaciousness…"

"Hm," she considered. "And just how did the, er… _spaciousness_ measure up to standards?"

"I think it could use a re-check. Care to join me in the investigation?" Jaina smiled slyly, but looked anxiously around the hangar. "We're alone," Kyp waved off her concerns. "The general gave everyone non-essential the night off, no one else will be crazy enough to come do maintenance work now, and we're in hyperspace for another two days- it's not like anyone will be coming to grab a shuttle for a test-flight."

For a few moments, she hesitated. Then, with a grin, she allowed Kyp to pull her to her feet, and he pressed her hard against the smooth durasteel side panels of the craft, leaning forward and applying his mouth expertly to a pressure point at her throat. His hands went to work at the clasps of her jumpsuit and in moments, had her down to her grey undershirt, the jumpsuit hanging at the waist.

He leapt gracefully to the wing and caught her as she came up. Settling down in the low seat of the craft, he steadied her as she settled in after him, wrapping her legs around his waist and leaning back against the control board with a wry smirk on her face.

Eyes darkening in lustful desire, he leaned forward and captured her mouth while slipping a hand beneath the hem of her shirt.

It was, Jaina later reflected, the most enjoyable experience in a spacecraft she had ever had. She did not know, however, that the next time she got in that particular ship would be the last; nor that, by the end of that flight, her entire life would have shifted dramatically.

**End Part V**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Sadly.

**A/N**: Elements of this chapter are taken from _Edge of Victory II_… just be warned, if you see recognized plot points, they aren't mine.

**Part VI**

Three weeks later, after staging scouting and reconnaissance from a remote sector, General Antilles and Admiral Kre'fey finally felt confident enough to act on their acquired intelligence.

The ready room was chaos as pilots geared up, preparing to launch in under an hour; Rogue Squadron and Kyp's Dozen-and-Two would take the lead, clearing a path for the battleships to follow, taking on the sitting Yuuzhan Vong forces guarding their mysterious weapon.

Jaina slipped her arms through the sleeves of her flightsuit and began fastening it when Kyp strode purposefully towards here and pulled her off to a quiet corner. "Here," he produced a stim-shot from his pocket. "You're going to need it."

She frowned. "You think it's going to be that bad?"

He shrugged but didn't answer as he pulled the shoulder of her flightsuit down and injected the stimulant into the fleshy part of her upper arm. He gently massaged the area for a minute before leaning over and kissing her shoulder as he pulled the sleeve back into place so she could finish fastening it.

The drug quickly took effect, supplementing even her attuned Jedi-awareness. Smiling softly up at Kyp, she suddenly had the tingling sensation of being watched; looking over towards the door, she saw Wedge observing the two of them quietly, a light frown playing on his face. Jaina looked up at Kyp, wondering if he'd known Wedge was watching them all along- but when the general approached, Kyp's wary acknowledgement of his sudden presence drove the suspicion from her mind.

"Jaina, Master Durron," Wedge acknowledged stiffly.

"General," Jaina inclined her head. "What can we do for you?"

He waved his hand dismissively. "Hopefully nothing, besides flying as well as you always do. You're flying with the Dozen, aren't you, Jaina?" She nodded. "Very well; if things start going bad, I may take to an X-wing myself, in which case you'll form up with me again, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

With a last cursory glance and curt nod at them both, Wedge was gone, preparing his final battle briefing before the fighters proceeded to the hangar bay. Jaina listened respectfully, but everything Wedge was saying had already been relayed at the last meeting she'd sat in on. Kyp stood behind her, hands clasping her shoulders, and when Wedge stopped and dismissed the pilots, he held her in place until the room emptied.

"Sorry, Kyp, but I don't think we have enough time right now," she teased gently, turning in his grasp.

He chuckled, but his eyes looked worried, maybe a little anxious. "I'm half-tempted to prove you wrong, but that's not what I wanted." He sighed and cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I just… I don't know what will happen after this battle- you'll probably run off with Darklighter and his crew, and my squad will go about their own thing…"

"Hey, Kyp," she swallowed nervously, "this is just like any other skirmish with the 'skips…"

"I'm not trying to say goodbye," he interrupted quickly. Then, his voice softened. "Don't feel obligated to respond in kind, and for Force's sake, don't think too much on it while you're flying out there, but…" he tilted his head and leaned in close to her ear, "I love you, Jaina Solo."

Her eyes widened at the admission, mind racing far too fast. Not waiting for a response, Kyp kissed her once on the forehead and turned and strode from the room, leaving her alone in surprised silence.

They'd been so light-hearted about the whole affair. Their encounters were masked with jokes, the tone always playful… but she wasn't completely delusional. Something had changed when she wasn't looking, and a bantha could have picked up on the high emotional charge that they so consciously ignored. Sighing her frustration, Jaina hurried from the room, toward the hangar… after Kyp.

She caught him moments before he depressed the lever to open the hangar bay door. "Kyp, wait." He turned and his lips quirked as she put her arms around him, leaning up to look into the much-taller man's face. "I love you too, Kyp Durron. Now go fly well and vape some 'skips."

"That's my girl," he grinned wryly and, giving her a last, fleeting kiss, they stepped through to the hangar and separated, seeking out their own vessels.

Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene. Scene.

"Banking, starboard, fourteen," Jaina snapped into her comlink. Calling Wedge 'fourteen' instead of 'General Antilles' made it slightly easier to forget just whom she flew with. Not to mention it made the comm chatter easier to follow.

"Copy, thirteen- drop thirty degrees… almost… got him!"

She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Whether by chance or premonition, Kyp had been right- this was certainly a fight to test their skills and endurance. Shortly after the bothan cruiser and star destroyer had arrived in-system, Wedge had taken to his snubfighter and joined the fray; not that one man made much difference, even if it _was_ Wedge Antilles- but morale skyrocketed and pilots gained a new surge of energy, seeing their general, the Rebel hero, fight right alongside them.

"Admiral Kre'fey," she heard Gavin Darklighter across the comm network, "you're clear to start your run."

"Copy, Colonel," the _Ralroost_ replied, beginning to maneuver into position, slowly flanking the mass that had once been the planet Sernpidal and its moon, and avoiding the line of dovin basals that were drawing materiel from the system's star. The sight gave Jaina a chill; she couldn't begin to imagine what type of super-weapon the enemy was trying to create using raw stellar material.

"Watch it, Rogue," one of Kyp's pilots broke into her thoughts, "you have more company fast-approaching…"

A tingle shot through Jaina. "Break!" she called, not entirely aware of the source of her sudden panic. The squadron followed, despite her informal status as a member, let alone its leader. "Something's not…" a strange sense filled her. "Suicide run!"

Sure enough, the coralskippers were hurling themselves at high velocities towards the fleet of X-wings, abandoning the use of weapons in favor of speed. "On me, thirteen," Wedge's voice snapped in her ear, and she twisted around, matching his precise movements as they dodged the oncoming living projectiles. Spinning about, Wedge and Jaina chose a target and tore it apart; moments later, a pair of simultaneous eruptions filled the darkness with bright light that tinted Jaina's shield screen.

"Three and eleven down," Darklighter broke in, wasting no time, "four and twelve, form up."

"_Ralroost_ is approaching on your vector," Kyp sounded over the open channel. "Rogues, get out of there."

"Jaina, on me," Wedge muttered, pursuing some of the escaping coralskippers towards the line of gravity wells and the ruins of the planet. Darklighter dispatched half of the squadron with them and ordered damaged fighters back to the _Mon Mothma_.

Kyp spoke again. "Rogue, when that thing blows…"

"Manage your squadron, Durron," Darklighter snapped, "I'll manage mine."

Jaina winced at the power struggle between the two commanders. Wedge said nothing, leading them deeper towards the gravitic weapon as they blasted the coralskippers apart one-by-one. Jaina had to admit, Wedge still had it in him after all these years.

The _Ralroost_ was coming up fast; Jaina and Wedge still had point, the other six fighters forming up around the cruiser as a protective guard against further coralskipper attack. "I think we've done all we can, thirteen," Wedge's voice sounded, "let's form up on _Ralroost_."

The two X-wings were approaching the far side of the planet remnants. Just a little further and they might be able to get a better view of what exactly the Vong were trying to do here.

"Rogue thirteen and fourteen, get out of there," Admiral Kre'fey's voice rang out, clear and crisp. "_Ralroost, _prepare to fire turbolasers…"

"Jaina," Wedge snapped, "this is no time for heroics…"

A green flash lit the empty space around them. Wedge veered his craft port and tore away as the first of the dovin basals, overwhelmed with energy, exploded; the resulting eruption of matter started a chain reaction down the line of gravity wells.

He saw Jaina's snubfighter turning towards him, having veered to starboard at the first firing of the batteries. "Jaina," Wedge said, "you're too close to the…" his voice died in his throat when a well erupted behind her craft, silhouetting it and then sending it into an uncontrolled spin towards what was left of Sernpidal.

"Jaina!" Kyp Durron was back on the comm.

Feeling immensely stupid, Jaina commed in. "I'm crippled here," she said through gritted teeth. "Life support and communications are just about the _only_ intact systems, limited steering, but I think enough to pull me out of the spin here…"

She righted herself, tried to turn and hobble towards the _Ralroost_- nothing. She sighed. "Fourteen, go on ahead," she said. "I'm going to have to wait for a tow."

Settling back and concentrating on keeping an even distance between the planetary mass and her crippled vessel, she oriented the ship in what she hoped would put it in an orbital pattern, having no power to accelerate. "Thirteen, a tow-ship is approaching, hold your present course."

"Like I'm going anywhere," she muttered to the empty space around her.

Her ship passed through the space where, minutes earlier, a chain of dovin basals had been feeding matter from the star to the ruins of the planet… just a little further, and she'd see this weapon which, hopefully, was incomplete and nonfunctional.

The tow shuttle was almost to her, flanked by a half squadron of bothan scout craft who continued ahead to the planetary ruins. She came across the line of the ecliptic and saw something… strange… at the same moment that she sensed confused consternation from the scout crafts.

"General," she said slowly, "we have a Worldship sitting here… appears non-combative, though what it's doing out here is beyond…" she trailed off, blood freezing in her veins.

The hull of the craft was darker than most Yuuzhan Vong vessels, and entire segments seemed chipped away. The Vong ships were alive, which meant that, like all other living things, they had to die, and this one looked to be… dying.

A Worldship. Civilian craft. It was dying.

And it was sitting directly in the delivery path of the destroyed chain of gravity wells.

This was Kyp's super weapon. What his squadron had stumbled upon shortly before Jaina found them near here over two months ago. A ship full of thousands- maybe millions- of non combat personnel, a dying ship, whose last hope for survival had just been blown out of the sky by extraordinary firepower.

Barely registering the lock of the tow craft, giving automatic responses to queries of her well-being, Jaina just sat stunned in her crash-webbing during the short trip back to the _Ralroost. _In a daze, she climbed out of the damaged fighter and demanded the location of General Antilles from the nearest deck-hand with a datapad. Looking mildly alarmed at the glint in her eyes, he informed her quickly that the general had joined the admiral on the bridge.

The trip to the bridge took forever and no time at all. All the way there, she wondered one thing- whether Kyp had realized what they would be attacking when he asked Jaina to pass along his data.

Her answer came entirely too quickly- and painfully.

Stepping onto the bridge, she found herself in the middle of a debate among Admiral Kre'fey, General Antilles, Commander Darklighter, and Kyp.

Kyp, who was in the middle of saying, "It's time the Yuuzhan Vong learned the consequences of attacking New Republic civilians! This will have taught them those consequences." Wedge and Darklighter looked angry and chagrined. Kre'fey was silent but contemplative. Jaina stalked towards the group, earning Kyp's attention; he smiled in relief. "Jaina," he exclaimed, "you're alright?" His expression faltered slightly at the deadly look in her eyes.

She marched straight up to him, planted her feet firmly against the deck, and stared. "This is what you used me for? This is why you needed someone with the ear of the military?" she gestured back towards Wedge, her first point of contact in the fiasco. By now, his expression was carefully schooled, but she caught a vague sense of guilt. "_This_," she hissed, "is your _super weapon_?" She hauled off and smacked him hard across the face.

There was no reaction; indeed, what could he say? She stared, breathing heavily, waiting for nothing. "You're despicable," she finally spat. "All those civilians… I'll never trust you- ever again." Something in her heart tore before she clamped down, freezing her feelings and emotions, unwilling to let them change anything. "You played me from the start, didn't you? Asking me to apprentice with you… you planned every action… every word…" She turned with effort to Wedge, ignoring Kyp's pleading sense in the Force. "General, I apologize sincerely and take full responsibility for what's happened here today; it was an unforgiveable lapse in judgment to bring this to your attention."

Wedge gently pulled her back away from Kyp, a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Do not be so harsh on yourself, Jaina. I'm sure Master Durron has ways of being very… persuasive."

Kyp's eyes flashed once and Jaina went red with anger and embarrassment at the realization that Wedge had been right all along about his misgivings regarding Kyp. "With your leave, General, I'd like to return to the _Mon Mothma_ and collect my things; I need to report back to my uncle about what has transpired here."

"Of course, Jaina," he said sympathetically. "Gentlemen, I'll be back in ten minutes to continue this… discussion."

As they walked along the eerily silent corridors of the cruiser, two things kept ringing in Jaina's head.

_I love you, Jaina Solo. _

_I love you too, Kyp Durron. _

Her first admitted love- and it had lasted a matter of hours. Another twinge tore at her heart, and she silenced it as efficiently as the first.

They were at war- she had been foolish to believe that something as fragile as human affection could survive it.

**Fin**

**A/N: **It's not over! Check out chapter one of _Betrayal, Forgiveness, Redemption_, part 2 of the 3 part series!

.net/s/6947221/1/

And I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading!

*~Lexi~*


	7. Cover image info

**Story Cover designed by Iverna on the Jedi Council Forums; images property of Lucasfilms, LTD and pulled from Wookieepedia .**


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